PCB distances itself from Butt’s sons of pigs’ remark

The Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) moved quickly yesterday to distance itself from a “sons of pigs” reference to India, England and Australia made by former chairman Ijaz Butt.

Butt, head of the PCB between 2008-11, made the comment as he came out of the Gaddafi Stadium in Lahore after a meeting with current chairman Najam Sethi to discuss the structural changes at the International Cricket Council (ICC) ruling body.

Pakistan abstained from voting in favour of the changes at an ICC meeting in Singapore earlier this month, and has opposed the reforms which effectively hand control of world cricket to India, Australia and England.

Asked on live television what he thought about the “Big Three” boards, Butt said: “Listen don’t quote me but in my personal opinion all three are sons of pigs.”

A PCB official reacted speedily to Butt’s remark by saying: “It’s his opinion not the board’s. We have no more comment to make.”

Butt added that Pakistan now needed to safeguard their own interests in world cricket.

“Every board is looking after its own interests and that is what we also must do,” he said.

Sethi has been meeting former heads of the PCB on the “Big Three” issue after taking over as chairman last week. He has made it clear that Pakistan will be reviewing their stance on the ICC changes.